“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”
― Bill Hicks
Weed. Mary Jane. Pot. Marijuana. Grass. Dope. Cannabis. As the world progresses, particularly in the United States people tend to be more socially acceptable of taboos that would have been widely looked down upon many years ago. One of these taboos is marijuana. Today, we not only see Marijuana as socially accepting, but morally as well. As my generation grows older, the use of marijuana becomes more apparent in society. States even begin to legalize the drug. As more states legalize, more people cheer for the cause. The Catholic social teachings value human life and dignity of a person, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (Seven things). This means that each individual has a calling to protect all life and not alter oneself or others. The use of marijuana alters our ability to have logic and essentially free will, which God has given us. Therefore, the Catholic Church is against the use of marijuana in order to have the ability to live our lives righteously.
In Romans 13:1, it says, “ let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.”(Rom 13.1)
“my brain is just gone”
Catholics believe that it is unlawful to use drugs recreationally and see it as a sin. This passage presents the controversy on the use of marijuana. It explains that even though people become more accepting in the use of marijuana recreationally, God is against it. God created all things and ordained it, as good catholics recognize, ther...
... middle of paper ...
...ng properties and capabilities, it also causes the destruction of the mind and body. Some believe pot to be a gateway to harder drugs.
In the bible, Alcohol is referred to neither a bad or good thing. A pleasure that is used recreationally, as well as medically but is also abused and harms the body. Jesus miraculously turned water into wine at the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-10) when the reception ran out. The lines “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts” (Proverbs 31:6-7). If the bible mentions alcohol which has similar properties as the cannabis plant by both having altering capabilities. Then is it possible for weed to be not just socially accepted but religiously as well and the question, is it morally okay to smoke marijuana not be a question at all?
“it balances my highs and my lows “
Legalization of Marijuana has quickly become a controversial issue in America. In the United States, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is spreading to the state level. For example, in November 1996, the people of California and Arizona voted to legalize marijuana for medicinal reasons. As a result of Proposition 215 in California, patients now smoke marijuana provided their physician recommends its usage. A prescription is not required, and marijuana continues to be illegal to prescribe. The Clinton administration responded that it “would not recognize these decisions, and would prosecute physicians who recommend or provide marijuana to their patients.” Although California and Arizona are the only two states to have already passed laws regulating marijuana usage, twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have laws and resolutions regarding marijuana usage. These laws and resolutions range from establishing therapeutic research programs, to allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana, to asking the federal government to lift the ban. Despite the states’ desires to have marijuana legalized for medicinal purposes, the US National Institutes of Health examined all existing clinical evidence about smoked marijuana and concluded that, “There is no scientifically sound evidence that smoked marijuana is medically superior to currently available therapies.”
After interviewing a series of marijuana users, they’ve told me that marijuana is a safe, harmless drug, that is used for meditation. In order to smoke the marijuana, you’ll need some form of paper to roll it up with. While most people can control their liquor, unfortunately others can’t. Legalizing alcohol was a big mistake, the many different tragedies that occur because of alcohol are insane. The fact that immigrants are allowed to drink is even worse.
Of course, there are many people opposed to legalizing marijuana, despite the benefits. Some doctors are against legalizing marijuana because they think that it will cause “emotionally crippled adults”, and they think that people can become addicted to it. Doctor Howard Samuels believes that marijuana is a psychoactive drug which will create problems for adults in the future. I disagree with this. It doesn’t do anything harmful to your brain, so I don’t see how it would cause problems for adults in the future that use marijuana. You can’t become addicted to it, like you can with cigarettes and alcohol. Marijuana doesn’t have nicotine in it, which causes the addiction to cigarettes. Doctors prescribe morphine to patients, and that is very addictive...
Marijuana is a drug that is harmful to a person¡¯s health. It has been found to have adverse impacts on one¡¯s mental processes such as memory, attention, judgement, and problem- solving (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2004, p.415). Also, marijuana can interfere with a person¡¯s ability to think rationally and logically. Thus, the lapse in judgement caused by the drug use can lead to risky sexual behaviours and this may result in increasing sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS. Moreover, the long-term use of marijuana may cause chronic breathing problems and cancer ...
First of all, some people feel smoking marijuana can get hyper, which providing them the emotion of happiness, and helping them to see the world from a different perspective. However, marijuana will cause a lot of healthy problems to human’s body. Marijuana has many physical effects on human such as rapid heart rate, red eyes and dry mouth. Because the chemical THC will enter into the body when people are smoking it, THC will enter through the bloodstream to the brain. The chemical affects them to feel ecstasy and unreality; therefore, THC will make them feel more confused if people smoke marijuana for a long time. According to, “ Treat marijuana abuse like a health problem” (McMillan, 2007, July 17), it shows using marijuana can cause more serious health issues on human’s body such as bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer. In addition, using marijuana has also been linked to lung damage and affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. For example, if marijuana ...
Comparing marijuana and other drugs and substances used under abuse mode, it has come out clear that marijuana legalization will, to a great extent improve the living standards of people and econiomic growth. Suggestions are that marijuana be legalized and regulated under the law that regulates the use of tobacco and alcohol. In some countries, cannabis sativa forms the bulky of the cash crops dependent on, and if legalized will tremendously create jobs and shun the illicit market by provision of opportunities in the formal market. A lot of taxpayer’s money, which could be used in improving the living standards of citizens, is spent in dealing with criminal offences related to marijuana use. As well, the criminilization of marijuana leads to prejudice, corruption,vio...
Marijuana, or Cannabis, is a plant that has been in use since ancient times. Cannabis has had significant affects on history and societies throughout the years. It is a plant that can grow in any environment, with the exception of the Arctic Circle. Up until recent years the Cannabis plant has never been looked upon negatively. The debate on Cannabis has started again; with some people thinking that it should be legal and others thinking that it should stay illegal. It is time for people to see Cannabis as what it really is and not as what manipulative advertisements have shown it to be.
A controversial topic that has spread throughout the nation of the United States of America, and that is also widely popular, is the issue on cannabis. Cannabis is infamous for its natural state as a plant, and also for its ability for allowing people of all kinds to become “high”. A bad name has been given since there has been much negativity and false claims towards the subject. Cannabis is used medicinally to help those in need to aid to medical disabilities, disorders, as well as chronic pains. This plant is an issue through the laws of congress and year after year, lobbyist to this day are still fighting for its legality. In this paper, I will present an argument in support of legalizing the use of cannabis, and then argue that this argument has certain flaws that
Alcohol and marijuana are two drugs commonly used and abused in the United States. Alcohol is the number one abused drug, while marijuana is number one among illegal drugs. While alcohol remains legal, and marijuana illegal, this does not necessarily mean that alcohol is better for you. There have been many arguments where people suggest that marijuana should be legal because alcohol is more deadly. On the other hand, there are alcoholics who would tell a pothead that smoking weed is bad for you. Both substances are very bad for your health and should not be heavily used by anyone.
Marijuana is a harmful drug and should not be legalized. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug used in the United States. It is a plant that grows from the ground however, it contains many harmful toxins. There are many pros and cons for the legalization of marijuana although there are more cons than there are pros; one being that children are the ones who abuse marijuana the most. Surprisingly, against other beliefs, marijuana smoking actually does impair the user’s ability to drive a lot like the effects of alcohol and it is more addictive than alcohol. Based on this information, many have concluded that marijuana should not be legalized for recreational use.
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
...ed that legalization does not result in the best possible outcome; instead the best solution would be decriminalization of marijuana and legalization of medical marijuana. This solution is not only more feasible than complete legalization but also can be argued to be the more ethical solution. This is because it encompasses most of the advantages to legalization while reducing many of the risks substantially. The changes we will see in the future regarding this issue will “be shaped by whether the various experiments with legalization, decriminalization, and medical marijuana are deemed successes or failures” (Dionne and Galston). The nature of ethics clearly shows that there is never a definite course of action that should be taken, but through deliberation and analysis using the ethical theories, one is able to produce the best solution given the circumstances.
People have been fighting for the legalization of marijuana for a long time. Many people use this drug and find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Others find it disgusting and are opposed to the legalization of it. The earliest use of marijuana was documented in 7000 B.C. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and many others used it for medical purposes. Marijuana was first used in the United States during the 1800’s and was banned in 1937 without any reason given by the government except that “it was for our own good” (Block, “Why Marijuana Became Illegal”). Marijuana should be legal everywhere in the world because, although it is highly addictive, marijuana is not as harmful as tobacco and alcohol, having a regulated market for it would reduce the sale and use of it amongst people under the age of eighteen, and the government can save and make money off of it.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
Marijuana on the other hand seems a little out of place in its classification as illegal. The source previously cited notes that, "Although it is classified as a Schedule I drug for regulatory purposes, it is clearly different pharmacologically from the opiate analgesics" (Rittenhouse 151). Also, recently a heated debate has arisen on the medicinal value of marijuana. Whether there is a definite use for marijuana is unclear, but there is surely no such debate concerning alcohol.